Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Anything new?

I still haven't gone to see the set up yet
Organised everything by PM and I've been busy and slack
Will wait till the flood waters subside and have another go. .

yep give us a call and pop in

Okay guys and gals I have been quiet for some time now been busy busy busy......So Hello to all older and a big hi to all the new APers......So what problems you wanna here about hehehe I CANT STRESS ENOUGH TO HAVE BACKUP SYSTEMS IN PLACE that being power, overflows, pump stops etc....power - is not a problem for us we have a good power supply with a 50KVA backup genset...and then also a smaller 900W camping gene if every needed (start all occasionally and check)I would like to make some small solar setups though.........overflows - make sure the water always has a way or 2 of getting back to the fish tank ......Pump stops - this was always on my list to do but just never got around to it ((cause of me loosing 500 Edible sized Jade's (worst part I feed them all year and was goinig to eat some a week earlier but decided to let them get bigger, and then decided not to eat them as their water to air ratio was all stuffed up 0%water 100% air mmmm not a good mix hahaha plus it happened at some time during the night)...Another factor is if you change your system to quick fix something set it back to the way it was before leaving the system...as i had it all on the timer ie 15mins on 45 off but i needed the pump on continuosly for a bit and forgot to turn it back onto the timer....)) I have the suction for the pump suspended in the middle of the tank so sucks all goop from the bottom... I now have 2 safety items in place for this situation a float valve that turns off the pump when it gets too low (2ft min) and i changed the pump intlet pipe I placed a t-piece just before the main sucking pipe in the tank and ran another pipe down right next to it then have that pipe shortened by 2 foot that way the water will only get sucked out to that point if the valve fails...

Ok so all that happened when we had the big floods funny really so much rain and my fish had no water hahahha... oh well hope you learn from me and dont do that ...So its not all bad news I have another 700 jade fingerlings and this lot really like the duckweed, feeder fish (mollys and platys) and they eat the big yellow snails if they can get them....and the yabbies get gobbled up if they are silly enough to migrate to the jade tanks.... Our next door neighbour made the local news as he was bitten by a brown snake that was in his room...lucky for him only 1 fang got him...our kids did like the part watching the helicopter land next door though...PS good learning lesson for all of our kids, we live in the bush "Dont pick up snakes" ...So what else... Oh yes we have made 2 hot houses green houses to get seedlings cranking they will only hold 110 trays..mind you the tray has 196 holes in it so roughly 21,000 seeds so Iam happy about that so here come the markets with seedlings...I've been told alot of people cant strike them ....The next mainthing I have done was..SEEDS I have been sent a heap of seeds from some seed companies I had 3 trial trays 1 tray with Commercial seed companies seeds, 1 tray with Yates etc seeds (hardware bunnings stc) and 1 tray full of Diggers Own seeds...So You ask which was the best .... I personally will haveto say without a doubt the Diggers took the prize....I will also say taht the Commercial seeds performed as good as the diggers own but their sample packs are always fresh fresh fresh so farmers like the results....The yates seeds I will never ever buy again... I have yet to try the Eden seed companies seeds but i am guessing they will come up trumps like Diggers...

Yeaah... I'm a "Diggers" fan as well...

Great system!

Eden beats Digger's hand down

Hi DD

We just read right through your thread...AWESOME system... and LOVE your bus.

Sorry to hear about your troubles tho...

We decided a few years back that when the kids leave home we are going to get a double decker if we can, and do it up to travel Oz... would really like to see your conversion and what youve done with it one day! (.......pics? )

Can we see some updated photos of your system and how its all going?... Love looking at big systems

BTW - eden seeds are definitely worth checking out...

Will be watchin'

hi all yes will be spending tomorrow updating my froum post withnew photos jade pics(i still have 150 original ones ) so I have posted quite a few different replys to other peoples post and help out where i can with the knowledge i have learnt over my fun quick learning curves hehehe.... so hang tight will be done..

DD who did you order your clay pebbles through?

Hi all been another length of time away from here.... but here i am now so a quick run down of new things... I spent all day yesterday cleaning all the buildup of 1 and a half years of running....
its mostly the last 6 mths worm casting really.. I am so glad i went the clay balls instead of gravel so is the missus seeing asthought she didn’t ripe her hands apart hahaha softies aren’t we ..I have transplanted 500++ chilli plants into the system,1000++ shallots I have been picking half of them already.... NASTURTIUM people plant them to stop the caterpillars getting most of your other plants this is called Trap Planting the bugs love the nastursiums more then the other plants...its like going fishing in your tank all the bugs in one spot hehehe

DONT buy Yates crap seeds... BUY SEEDS from eden or diggers Strike rates and Flavour and heirloom plants too...

So whats growing well Jade perch, Yabbies, Feeder fish(population), Duckweed azolla fern , Tomato's, Spinach, silverbeet 5 colours, lettuce, Leeks, Shallots, Ginger, Garlic, Oregano, Monstera deliciosa, Mulberry Tree(BOOMING & Yummy), Garlic Chives, Celery, Marigolds, Capsicums, Cucumber, Beans, Pineapples, Lemon Grass, Beetroots, Nasturtiums, Curry leaf tree and a few i think i have missed oh well hehehe...

Whats not growing so well Corn, ....

What is in the seed trays in the seed hothouse ....just about bloody everything hehehe
Tomato’s – Mortgage Lifters, Genevose, Zebra, Tommy Toe(cherry),
Beetroots yellow and red, Beans – Bertolli, Ying Yang, Purple climbers , Peas snap and snow
Brocolli purple and swirl
Basil- ornamental and thai siam, Dill, german chamomile, hyssop, kohlrabi, tatsoi, asian vitamin green, amaranth red, celery, lemon balm, peppermint, blue borage, coriander, pyrethrum, thyme, cumin black, majoram, rosemary, kale green, yukina savoy, lettuce amish deer tongue, flowers, pumpkins-bohemian and potimarron....and i think the last one stevia sugar plant...

Mmmmm what else....I am looking at selling chilli’s, shallots, lemon grass and lettuce in a half arsed commercial effort. Even though i believe you have to have at least 4x my system to make it viable.. but should at least pay for all the running costs with my system

My homemade swirl filter is working a treat at getting 50% of the solids away from the GB’s ... It’s a 1000 ltr open tank with the water getting shot in there with shade cloth drooping over rods forcing the solids down to the bottom....and 2 outlets main one going to raft feeder fish beds and the overflow heading back to the fish tank
I have had an influx on fine haired algae but i don’t stress about trying to get rid of it now I actually leave some in to regrow as it makes great mulch weed suppressing around the trees in the ground, and the feeder fish use it as a bed of a night time and go to sleep on it hehehe funny to watch....
We video taped an apple snail laying eggs in a bunch of around 180-200 (not the wholetime) but it was fun to watch for 5 mins...
I haven’t taken any readings for at least 3months...no need to fixit if it aint broken hehehe...
Yabbies are getting bigger and lots of them the little ones live one the side of the sump tank

Where are the update pics DD? I can't seem to find them

cool bus. Nice size system. Like to see some updated pics. Good on ya for getting a backup system.

Hi all well I am doing a spring clean of my system..... I have really done nothing to it over the winter period ....... I have had some trouble ie popped calf muscle, broke my shoulder and a dose of pnuemonia....

So here we go again hehehehe..... I have taken a heap of photos to upload later today after i clean up the system.... I am in the process of looking at covering my whole system from the summer time bugs ...We dont mind a few caterpillars as the fish love them.. but it does get a bit tedious having to make sure everyday you clean the system of them otherwise we get no food heheheh.... ok back later

Its worse when it has a date of when I promised to see you.
Hope everythings well I will check out the photos and keep trying to get there.
...I have been flat out doing courses,volunteering,writting grants, and trying to set up the local community garden....aswell as still being a little slack(tired) and hibernating.